Left For Dead
by Sesshomaruluver01
Summary: Have you ever loved someone with every fiber in your being to find out they don't love you back? That's exactly Kagome's position. She'll have her near death experiences, her love triangles, kidnap, and much more before she finally finds her place in the Feudal Era or 500 years in the future. Who will she choose? Read, leave a review, and find out! Sesshy? Inu? Ko? I'll decide!
1. What Happened?

_**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own InuYasha, unfortunately :/**_

**{A/N:} **Hi guys! I've written so many fanfics but I never posted them. Maybe this one will be good! :) Actually, I think it's gonna do pretty well.

I added the lyrics from "Last To Know" by Three Days Grace in this. I altered it slightly so that it would suit me better. TDG will forgive me, in the name of Kami, they must!

I dedicate this story to my best friend Ciara, who wanted me to write a story for her. This isn't exactly what she had wanted, but I can't find the original story ideas she had :/

P.S. If you like American Dragon and InuYasha cross overs (which are really cool), then you should check out my sister's stories. They're AMAZING!

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**He just walked away.  
Why didn't he tell me  
And where do I go tonight  
This isn't happening to me  
This can't be happening to me  
He didn't say a word  
Just walked away**

**-Three Days Grace**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 1: What Happened?**

Kagome was going down. The earth seemed to rise up to meet her rather quickly and with a painful _thud_, she landed face first in the sun baked ground. Struggling to stay conscious, she opened an eye and fought to hold her head up to look at the demon standing above her.

_"Goodbye, miko."_ the bear demon spat out with triumph, raising it's heavily clawed hand in the air.

Kagome closed her eye and rested her bleeding head against the ground, waiting for the final blow that would ultimately kill her.

She thought of her missing campanion, InuYasha. Where had he gone? He was behind her just a minute ago....or sometime ago. There was no telling how long they had been fighting Naraku's usual horde of demons. Had InuYasha been killed?

_'No.'_ her inner voice answered firmly. _'InuYasha is too stubborn to die. He wouldn't leave you alone to fight these demons.'_

_'Well, he did.' _she answered back with anger. _'He's not here now, is he? Like you, I... like whatever was said earlier, he's too stubborn to die so the only alternative is that he left.'_

Betrayal filled her heart as she heard the swishing of his claws cutting through the air, closely followed by a deep growl and a higher pitched scream.

"Kagome!" came Sango's distant horrified scream. Kagome listened to the padding of feet running to her. Gentle hands touched her hair as they moved it over her shoulder.

"Oh no," A familiar voice breathed.

_'Miroku.'_ the voice clarified.

She could feel his hands momentarily leave her hair as he turned to yell."Sango! Hurry!"

Moments later, Kagome slowly opened her right eye (for the other was against the ground) and was faced with Sango's anxious face. Sango was knelt before her and Miroku's face looked over her shoulder.

"Kagome!" she murmured, gently moving her bangs away from her eyes.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. She winced as her back pain spiked slightly.

Sango looked at Miroku, silently asking him what to do.

He pursed his lips,"We can't move her, that's for sure...we should...we should call Kaede." He nodded, agreeing with himself.

"Yeah, we should." Sango agreed. She stood. "I'll get her. Kirara!" Sango called, spinning on her heel and running away.

Kagome's eye flicked towards Miroku, who was watching Sango run away, before everything went black.

* * *

She was on her stomach when she woke. Her head was pounding. Each heart beat felt like a hammer pounded against the inside of her skull. She felt oddly bulky but her eyes felt too heavy to open to see what was around her..

"Oh dear me." a wispy old voice muttered,"Ye are right. She is pretty messed up."

"What can you do for her, Kaede?" a beautiful voice demanded. Shuffling of feet. The sound of stoppers coming out of viles.

"Calm ye self down, InuYasha." Kaede ordered. "I don't know when she will awake, but she is alive. No thanks to ye though," she added nastily.

" 'No thanks to me'?!" he repeated incredulously.

"Ye heard me InuYasha. Where were ye when she needed ye?"

No answer.

Kagome took a deep breath but groaned as her chest expanded, causing the skin on her back to move.

"Kagome?" InuYasha whispered. She opened her eyes and blinked several times in the sunlight that was streaming in through the cracks in the door. Closest to her was InuYasha, his face etched with lines of worry.

She was laying on something soft in Kaede's hut. There was no fire burning in the herth, thus causing it to be semi-dark but from the little light she could see InuYasha's eyes were burning. The intensity made her look away.

Looking back at him, she breathed,"Inu...Yasha." moving her already outstretched right hand towards him. He looked down at it and immediately placed his on top of it.

"Oh baby," he whispered,stroking her face with his other hand. "Don't talk."

Kagome felt an electric shock run from her hand, up her arm, and into her heart, causing it to flutter and miss a beat. He had never called her baby before.

_'Oh, get over yourself,' _her inner voice snapped, _'It won't last long. You'll get better and he'll be gone again.'_

This thought made her eyes widen and her hand retracted. She was right. He would leave. He did that last time when she was injured by a demon. He stuck around for a few days and was gone as soon as Kaede announced her healed. The memory made her wince.

"InuYasha," Kagome whispered. He smiled slightly, expecting something sweet to come from her lips,"Where were you?"

His eyes widened in surprise and his mouth opened in answer but he was cut off. In his hurry to get in, the dark haired prince ripped the reed flap completely off the door.

"Kagome!" Koga exclaimed. He ran in, the shards in his legs helping him reach her faster. He was beside Kagome in the blink of an eye, on his knees, gingerly grabbing her hand and bending close to the ground to kiss it. In his anxiety, Koga had completely shoved InuYasha to the side.

"Why thank ye, Koga."Kaede said sullenly,"I didn't need that anymore."

"You're welcome," he replied absently. He didn't look around to Kaede, his eyes only wanted to behold Kagome. "Kagome, as soon as I heard, I had to come."

"Thank you." she said quietly, squeezing his hand with the strength she could muster.

"How did this happen Kaede?" he shot at the priestess, standing and turning to face her.

Kaede sighed and pointed at InuYasha,"Ask him."

Kagome could feel the intensity in the room rise as Koga turned to face the hanyou leaning against the western wall of the hut.

"What does she mean mutt-face?" Koga growled.

"I don't know," InuYasha said indifferently, "That batty old priestess hardly ever knows what she's talking about these days." He shifted to the left as a bile of herbs smashed where his head had just been.

"You left her for that undead clay pot again, didn't you?" Koga asked, taking a step forward."I'll kill you for leaving my mate unprotected."

She didn't have time to protest at being called his mate for InuYasha froze in the act of walking away. He slowly turned his head to face Koga. Kagome couldn't see Koga's expression, but whatever it was, it was strongly irritating InuYasha, judging by the scowl that had appeared on his face. Something passed through InuYasha's eyes that scared Kagome. It was a flicker of the demon he restrained. It seemed as if he wouldn't be play fighting with Koga this time. He would fight to kill. Kagome shuddered and delicately tugged at Koga's fur-covered ankle.

He looked down at her and she mumbled,"Don't Koga."

He smiled and said,"Don't worry, my love. I'll be fine." He turned his attention back to InuYasha,"C'mon dog-breath, let's take this outside."

InuYasha's eyes narrowed, another flash of demon running through them."Certainly."

Koga followed InuYasha outside, stooping at the door to turn back and wink at Kagome."I'll be right back."

Kagome moved her hand back to her body and slowly turned her head so that her nose was pressed against the pillow she lay on. Sluggishly, she pushed, grimacing as pain surged throughout her.

"No Kagome," Kaede commanded, "Ye mustn't get up. Thine injuries aren't fully healed!" Kaede bustled to Kagome and placed a restraining hand on her shoulder."Please. Ye will only hurt thine self even more!"

"No Kaede," Kagome panted, her eyes clenched shut as she hung on to the wall for support."I must go out there. They won't listen to anyone else! InuYasha isn't playing this time! He'll end up destroying half the village."

Fully standing and now an arm slung around Kaede's shoulder's for support, Kagome saw Kaede's eye widen in surprise.

When Kaede stood rooted in her spot, Kagome sighed impatiently and began walking stiffly towards the door. Finally outside Kaede's hut, she took a right and headed behind the hut towards the woods.

Kagome was simply furious with her speed. She had to walk slowly in order not to shift the bandages around her middle and cause her more pain.

Why did Koga have to egg on InuYasha. As strong as Koga was, Kagome worried that he wouldn't be able to defeat InuYasha. Once in demon form, there was no stopping InuYasha. He was a killing machine and maybe this time, Kagome wouldn't have the speed to get to him before he killed Koga.

"You stupid mutt! She could've died!" She heard Koga yell.

"But she didn't, did she?" InuYasha screamed and he yelled,"Wind Scar!"

"Oh no!" Kagome cried.

Kagome dodged low-hanging branches and tree roots. She could see where they had already _talked_ calmly about her. Trees were thrown haphazardly against other, causing them to lean on others. Branches were ripped away and thrown everywhere. There was a long crater were InuYasha had attempted to kill Koga.

_BANG!_

"C'mon dog-breath! Is that all ya got?"

_BANG!_

"Haha! Ya missed!"

_BANG!_

_BANG!_

"Oh, your aim is off. I suppose the clay pot is responsible for that! This is why Kagome and I are perfect for each other! She wouldn't ever hold me back like Kiky-ho does you!"

_BANG!_

Grabbing a long, thin branch, she used it as a walking stick to help her move along quicker.

"InuYasha! Sit!" she shouted.

Nothing happened.

Kagome felt panic rise in her. What hadn't she heard him hit the ground?

A tornado rushed towards her and scooped her up. Looking towards Koga, she noticed how beaten up he was. His face was cut in many different places and his lip was bleeding.

"Koga? What happened? Where's InuYasha?"

Koga glanced over at her. He was carefully holding her so that he didn't jar her."InuYasha happened to me. There's something wrong with him. He ripped that necklace that you use to control him off. He said something like,'Now nothing can stop me from killing you. Not even Kagome.' "

Kagome gasped. "He did?"She pulled her flying hair out of her eyes.

"Uh-huh. He went all spooky demon on me. He used his sword at first but then switched to grabbing a few trees here and there and swinging them at me."

_Great._

"Run Koga. Don't stop until you've reached somewhere else other than here."

He sent a roguish grin at her."And miss all the fun? Nah, I think I'll stick around a little while longer."

"You don't understand-" Kagome stopped as Koga veered sharply to the left to avoid a tree that had been thrown at them. She bit down on her lip to hide the pained moans coming up her throat.

"I'm sorry for that Kagome."

"See?" she whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "I've seen him like this. Maybe I can stop him but you can't. He killed an entire army one time when he was like this. Now listen carefully to me. He. Will. Not. Stop. Until. He. Kills. You."

"Duck!" Koga wrapped his arms around her, pulled her ontop of him ,and threw himself to the ground, sliding on his back. InuYasha flew over them, claws outstretched, reaching for where Koga's throat had been. He did look like a spooky demon. His eyes were blood red. Beneath them were the jagged stripes that looked somewhat like Sesshomaru's. Looking down, his eyes widened slightly at seeing Koga's arms wrapped around Kagome protectively. His mouth parted and his long sharp dog fangs stood out. The feral snarl that came out for his mouth made Kagome cower against Koga.

"I don't think he'll listen to you Kags," Koga muttered, immediately standing and running away. "I think he's passed listening."

"Just let me try Koga." she begged. He looked down at her, considering her question. Looking into her pleading eyes, how could he say no?

He sighed and said,"Okay."

* * *

Hey peeps! So what do you think? Good, bad, fair, totally suckish, EXCELLENT (pick that one)

Review and tell me what you think!


	2. Leaving

**{A/N:} First chapter went pretty well.**

**In this particular chapter, I'll go back between a certain character POV and regular POV. I did that because you, the reader, need some insight into the minds of some Ice King...**

**Also, I used to spell Koga with a 'u' after the 'o' but after seeing things people wrote, I thought I had been adding an unneeded vowel so I took it out. As of a few minutes ago, I changed my decision. I like spelling it with a 'u' cause I like the way it looks. I thought I might keep you up to date on why I was changing my spelling.**

**Oh, and also again :), to my readers, do leave a review. It can give me an idea of how my writing is. Believe me, being added to someone's Favorite Authors list and Favorite Story list absolutely brightened my day up.! I was...well, I was beyond speech. lol I was grinning like I had won the lottery (which being added to those lists is nearly the same thing) but to make me even _happier _would be a review. ily you guys!**

**lol also again_ again_, I don't know when I'll be able to update. I'm always having to do other things and writing isn't always something I can do but Christmas break is coming up soon and I'll be able to write a lot more. But, that is if I'm not grounded for low grades...:/**

**And thanks to llebreknit for correcting me. :) Life saver!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

** Trickling down and fallen round ****The tears from her transparent heart  
The window to her soul now open  
Hoping he would see  
The love she needs  
Hopeless romantic please hear her plea**

**Loneliness came as a visitor  
But now has taken resident  
The events that lead to the vacancy  
Was not seen by her love  
Push and shove she does remain  
Knowing some day she will go insane  
Refraining from her departure  
Hopeless romantic can you not see**

**Holding on to loves last strand  
Sands of time fallen down  
Her crown of freedom awaits her  
Only if she could be sure  
Is it right to flee  
To sail away from her sorrows  
Hopeless romantic in need of reprieve**

**-Patricia Gale**

* * *

**Chapter 2 : Leaving**

"Did you hear that, Miroku?"

"Uh, how could you not?" Miroku stood up and dusted himself off,"I think I felt it too."

"It felt like InuYasha." Shippo muttered. He had fallen too."Him on another temper tantrum." He stood up and shook his tail to rid it of the dirt.

Bending down, Sango grabbed Hiraikotsu from the ground and called,"Kilala!" The small feline transformed instantly and ran to Sango from her perch beside the river's edge. Sango climbed on, holding her hand out to Miroku.

"Where are we going?" Miroku asked as he grabbed her hand and got on.

"Yeah, where?" Shippo echoed as he poked his head over Miroku's shoulder. Kilala started running, and, jumping into the air, she began to fly.

"Well, where there's InuYasha there's bound to be Kagome and her being hurt- well, it isn't good. And if I know Kouga, he'll be there too. He can smell InuYasha a mile away and you know he never misses out on a chance to see Kagome. That's grounds for a fight right there," Sango explained. Miroku nodded his head in silent agreement.

"Whatever they're fighting about, InuYasha must be pretty ticked off. He probably started it and he's getting beat by Kouga so he's probably mad about that."Shippo commented thoughtfully.

"I don't think it's InuYasha who started the fight." Miroku reasoned."I think that Kouga learned about InuYasha deserting Kagome in that battle and he's slimply talking the only way he knows how....with his fists."

Sango's face turned blood red.

"Perverted monk..." Sango growled, turning around and slapping his face.

"I was also talking the only way I knew how." he grinned.

Shippo rolled his eyes, hoping the ride would be quick.

* * *

Kagome held tightly on to Kouga as he stooped down to pick up a walking stick for her. He handed a long willowy one and gently let go of her. She kept a hand on his forearm, testing to see how she could handle her weight. It didn't hurt as much as earlier. Maybe all this excitement was keeping her mind away from brooding over her back.

"Listen Kagome," Kouga whispered urgently for the sound of InuYasha tearing trees was approaching them,"I won't be far. All you have to do is call for me and I'll come. It may take a second for me to get here but _I will come for you._ Do you understand?"

Kagome nodded. He looked at her a second longer, as if considering his next move. He settled for a shake of the head and a quick peck on her cheek.

She watched him run away. She took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the tree that they had been hiding behind.

There _he _stood, all demonized and creepy in the clearing. Somewhere along the way, the top half of InuYasha's Fire Rat kimono had been ripped off and Kagome couldn't stop the thought that crept into her mind.

_'Ooh, when did he get those abs?'_ her inner voice figuratively drooled.

A sinister smile appeared on his lips, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand on end. This wasn't InuYasha. This was...this was some monster. He looked a little like the real InuYasha now. He had the same silvery hair and the same tufty ears, but everything else had changed.

"InuYasha," she said quietly, taking a hesitant step forward. The demon before her did nothing but watch her."I know you're under there somewhere. Come back."

The evil smile grew wider, exposing sharp fangs.

She faltered, but took a few more steps,"You're there InuYasha. I bet you'd like some ramen right about now."

His nose twitched and she smiled."See?"

His eyes narrowed and he took steps to her. Her breath caught as he raised his arm and tilted his head ever so slightly, as if wondering what her reaction would be.

"Stop it InuYasha," she said. He looked confused at her order but continued nevertheless.

"InuYasha,"an icy voice said behind Kagome. She jumped and leaned on to her walking stick, looking to see the speaker.

Sesshomaru.

* * *

_**(Sesshomaru's POV)**_

"Wha- what are you doing here Sesshomaru?"

I gave her an icy glare before looking back at InuYasha.

_Stupid miko. She should know her place and that it's not in her place to question me._

"Well fine then, Mr. Glacier King," she muttered, looking back to her demon friend.

The miko was lucky that my half-brother was in the state that he was in or I would have struck her down where she stood.

"I see no reason to explain this Sesshomaru to some lowly miko." I said coldly.

In truth, I was tracking Naraku when his foul scent lead me through these woods. I'd been tracking him for months now and finally, I landed upon a strong, yet disgusting, trail of his scent. I think that I'm getting closer to him, for the scent has been so much stronger lately.

_Lucky me_, I thought sarcastically.

"But-"

"Hold your tongue, miko," I snapped, looking at her,"Do not question this Sesshomaru."

_'Mine.' _his head rumbled. _'She's mine.'_

Before I could grasp what my instincts were telling me-

"Sesshomaru." the growl was so horrifyingly deep, I could see bumps rise on her arms. Turning my death glare back to InuYasha, I realized it had came out of him. He had started his slow walk again and was getting much too close for comfort.

"And what do you want this time, hanyou?" I said quietly. My hand drifted ever so slowly towards Tokijin. My useless half-brother's eyes narrowed.

I inwardly smirked. My chance had finally come to kill my useless half-brother. I wasn't going to take his sword...my father had made it so that no full-blooded demon would ever be able to touch it so me hunting it down was fruitless. He could have his pretty little sword, anyways. I was after a much more powerful one now. It was called the Ryu Ken Tou.* Forged by the great blacksmith, Masaru, it had powers said to match the powers of the great Inu no Taisho's So'unga. I didn't doubt that. Lucky for him, Masaru was the wisest man I had ever met and not killed. Just something about his pony tailed waist length white hair and his sparkling purple eyes made me curious. I suppose I could capture him and make him my personal blacksmith...

But anyways, back to the matter at hand...

He was watching me and I could see him calculating his next move in his head. By the way he was tensing up, it looked at though he was thinking of lunging at me. A decision flashed in his eyes and InuYasha sprung at me. The miko, panicking, screamed,"Kouga!"

Kouga? The wolf demon?

In one swift movement, I had unsheathed Tokijin and poised for attack but found that I didn't need my sword to block my half-brother. Standing feet in front of the miko, a clawed hand with brown fur on his wrists gripped InuYasha's wrist. A feral snarl ripped through his chest and burst out his mouth as he threw InuYasha away from Kagome.

"Don't ever come near her again InuYasha," Kouga thundered, still in the position of the throw. InuYasha smashed through several large trees, causing them to break and fall on to large trees. The supporting trees groaned in effort to keep up the trees weighing nearly a thousand pounds. Loose branches rained down around the trees. InuYasha landed at the base of a large oak, his head bowed.

He was unconscious.

I hate to admit it, but I was impressed. The wolf had shown immense strength. Maybe it was because of the miko...protecting her must have brought his wolf like instincts, therefore making him a deadly force. He would be a great ally...but then again, this Sesshomaru did not need allies. I could handle anyone by myself.

* * *

Kagome was frozen where she stood, torn between running to check on InuYasha and or going to Kouga. Kouga just stood there, still in the position of throwing InuYasha, staring after him as if in some kind of trance.

"Kouga," she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. He started at the sound of her voice and turned around to face her. He started to give her a fierce hug but he saw Sesshomaru standing behind her.

Kagome had forgotten the Lord of the Western Territory was behind her. She turned around to look at him.

Kouga stiffened and said curtly,"Sesshomaru." and then nodded his head. He put an arm gently around Kagome's waist and pulled her protectively to him. She let most of her weight lean on him for her back started aching.

Kagome looked down to her feet as a blush crept up on to her face. She glanced up to look at the dog youkai in front of her and found him watching her. Something moved behind that stoic facade. But it was stilled very shortly after it happened so she couldn't see what it was.

Sesshomaru felt something rise in the pit of his stomach.

_'Mine!' _the voice snarled again.

So his inner beast had already claimed her for him. Hmm. It was probably because she was so independent and unafraid of him....

"Wolf." he finally acknowledged, looking at Kouga. He stared back down Kagome, who shivered under his stare.

Kouga could feel Kagome's discomfort. Looking from Kagome to Sesshomaru, the prince could see that something was up with Sesshomaru. Kagome, being the beautiful girl that she was, he could understand why anyone would want her but, it was just that...that this was _Sesshomaru._Evil lord who hated humans...but what was he doing staring at Kagome like she was his mate? Kagome was _his, _Kouga's,mate. Or at least she would be. His eyes narrowed. Before he did something rash, they needed to leave.

"C'mon Kagome," Kouga said gently, looking down at her,"Let's go." She looked up at him, finally breaking contact with Sesshomaru.

"Where to?"

Kouga smiled,"To the den."

Kagome silently agreed. Ignoring Sesshomaru, he gingerly picked her up in his arms, carefully avoiding her back but keeping her straightened out so it wouldn't shift her bandages. Kouga walked past Sesshomaru and into the woods behind them.

As Kagome and Kouga left the clearing, Kagome looked over Kouga's shoulder at Sesshomaru. She was surprised to see him staring after them. Even more surprising, she could've sworn she heard a _'Until next time, miko.'_that sounded like Sesshomaru's rich baritone voice.

Still staring at him, she blinked and when she reopened her eyes, he was gone.

Kagome closed her eyes and laid her head against Kouga's chest. She was still shaken from the encounter with InuYasha. He had tried to kill her. In that moment, she became grateful for Kouga, for he was the one who had saved her from InuYasha. What had become of InuYasha? He had completely lost himself. She sighed. She couldn't be around him anymore, although she wanted to be so desperately. She loved him but...how could you love someone who had tried to kill you?

_'But he couldn't control himself. He didn't know what he was doing.'_

"Kouga," Kagome spoke up suddenly."Did InuYasha accidentally lose his sword while you two were fighting or did he loose it on purpose?"

"He threw it down Kags," Kouga answered, looking at her."The minute we reached that clearing he put it in an empty tree and said, 'There.' I thought it was- why?"

"Just curious."

He could've kept his sword, she told herself.

And besides, he was the reason she was in this miserable state. He left her. Now, she would leave him. He would wake up and come back to the village, expecting her to be there, like she always was. Then, he would be confused as to why she wasn't there. That thought slightly angered her. He took advantage of her so much and she just came back for more. A lump came up in her throat. Why hadn't she seen him for what he truly was?

_'It was because you loved him.'_ her inner voice said reasonably.

True. She had always been unnerved by the relationship between him and an undead pot but she had managed to get passed it. Just because he had dated a truely horrid person didn't mean that he had to be judged for his mistakes but to still continue seeing someone who wanted to change you instead of taking you as you were and who tried to drag him to Hell countless times...she couldn't look passed that. She sighed again and was horrified when it sounded shaky.

"Kagome,"Kouga whispered.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head to meet his gaze."Yes?"

"He's not here. He can't get you."

"How'd you know I was thinking about InuYasha?"

"Because," he answered, a sad smile appearing upon his face,"You just asked me about his sword. That, and the fact that you're trembling."

Oh. She hadn't noticed that.

"Sorry." she mumbled, looking to the ground.

That stopped him. His head drew back,"Sorry? What in the world are you apologizing for?"

"Because InuYasha could've killed you. I'm sorry," she apologized again.

Kouga shook her slightly. Kagome turned her head to him and found his gaze to be fierce."Don't say that you're sorry. I protect those that I love, Kags. I chose to put myself there. I chose to fight the mutt-face. It's what I do." he threw her a roguish grin.

Kagome found herself smiling back, her spirits lifting. She didn't need InuYasha anymore. Not when she had people who could teach her to live without him. Besides, she wasn't going to be dependant on him anymore. She had herself, she had Kouga, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kilala, Kaede, her mom, brother, grandpa, and other people. She didn't have her school friends anymore. After the one time when she left for a month and mysteriously reappeared, they began to ask fewer and fewer questions. Now, they didn't even talk to her. Just a few weeks ago, she managed to get her diploma though, so she could stay gone as long as she wanted. She planned to stage her own death so that she could move here, too. Her mom didn't agree with the plan but did agree that she was old enough to make her own decisions.

"We're here." Kouga's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Indeed they had. They stood on the ledge where Kagome had once slapped Kouga. The thought made her giggle.

"What's so funny?" Kouga said indignantly.

"Don't you remember? This is where I once slapped you for calling me your woman."

Kouga thought about it a second and burst out laughing."Oh yeah."

They stood there for a second, remembering before Kagome squirmed.

"Let me walk some Kouga. My legs are going numb."

He gently placed her on her feet, keeping an arm around her for support.

Her legs gave out. Being held for a while had made her lose all chances of leg usage.

"This is going to take some getting used to." Kagome muttered as Kouga resumed holding her.

* * *

*** Loosely translated, 'Ryu Ken Tou' means Dragon Fist Sword.**

**I tried to make this one longer but also tried to have a cliffhanger, too. Review peeps!**


	3. Realization

_**Disclaimer: I, sadly, do not own InuYasha or any of the other characters.**_

**{A/N:} I apologize SO much guys! My mom, not that I'm blaming her or anything, reprogrammed, or something, our computer cause it got a virus from LimeWire, I suspect. Unfortunately, my chapter that I was working really hard on got deleted. But I'm over my writers block so I'm ready to write! **

**I would like to thank all of you who have favorited my story, who have added me to their author subscribing list, story subscribing list, and to my reviewers!**

**My thanks goes to:**

**(these are in no particular order. It's just how they are in my inbox.)**

**moonlight ookami, Thesta, TyniNightmare, Animefreak Rin, sadtenshi, llebreknit, Silently-Spoken, Lady Kira94, starfire1994, foxwolfinulover, and Fiary Demon26**

**That may not seem like bunches to some of you but to me, it means alot. :)**

**Oh. Another thing. These characters may be somewhat OOC but the upside to this problem is that I'm free to do that (as long as I disclaim it!). XD**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Realization**

_You go there, you're gone forever  
I go there, I'll lose my way  
We stay here, we're not together  
Anywhere is  
To leave the thread of all time  
and let it make a dark line  
in hopes that I can still find  
the way back to the moment  
I took the turn and turned to  
begin a new beginning  
still looking for the answer  
I cannot find the finish  
It's either this or that way  
it's one way or the other  
it should be one direction  
it could be on reflection  
the turn I have just taken  
the turn that I was making  
I might be just beginning  
I might be near the end_

-Enya_  
_

Sango quickly surveyed the mess below her from atop Kilala. Her heart thumped savagely in her chest, threatening to burst out, as she looked at the furrows in the ground. Her imagination ran wild, thinking maybe Kagome had been caught in InuYasha's furious path. Maybe he had lost his temper, lost his sword and killed Kagome and they just hadn't found her mangled body yet. Maybe something much worse had happened...

Sango shuddered.

When she voiced her fears the the monk behind her, he pushed them away saying, "Kagome is too hurt to be out here Sango. Kaede wouldn't have let her up out of her cot."

Sango scoffed, nudged for Kilala to stop, and turned her eyes to meet his."Seriously Miroku. Do you think Kagome would let these two fight-"

"Yes."

"-over this? Look at it from Kouga's perspective: He's already trusting InuYasha somewhat to protect Kagome. Otherwise, Kouga would never leave her alone. But InuYasha betrayed Kouga's trust and left Kagome unguarded. I know Kagome can handled herself to a certain extent but she's not strong enough to beat off every demon that comes her way. Anyways, seeing Kagome like this hurts Kouga, I think. It probably makes him feel like he failed in protecting the one that he loves."

Miroku's eyes narrowed slightly,"And how do you know all of this?"

Sango shrugged,"I don't. That was purely guess it's what _I_ would feel like."

"Hmm. Well," he looked thoughtfully at her,"You described the feelings quite accurately."

She nodded her head focused her attention back to the disastor below her. She nudged for Kilala to begin flying again, searching for a safe place to land. After a few seconds she saw a clear spot on the left edge of the decent-sized clearing.

She pointed to it and said,"There, Kilala! Land there!"

The cat briefly nodded her understanding and turned left, flying to it.

"What are we doing?" came a soft voice from behind Sango.

"Shippo?" Miroku's voice asked. She felt shuffling behind her. The voice got louder until the source was in her lap, rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes.

"Are we going to find Kagome?" he asked. Sango smiled, although she wasn't sure if Shippo would want to see her, depending on her condition.

"Yes, Shippo, we are." Sango answered softly. Shippo smiled back at her gratefully before his smile turned into a surprised look as Kilala landed, throwing him off. Hands caught the tiny demon.

Miroku chuckled. "Be careful Shippo. This ground isn't very soft."

Sango laughed along with Miroku as she unmounted Kilala and put Shippo down. Miroku slid off seconds later, allowing Kilala to revert to her tiny self.

Sango looked around."Maybe we should look in the woods. We already saw from the sky what was out in the clearing."

Shippo and Miroku agreed. They walked around or over fallen trees. Reaching the treeline, Sango paused. Miroku stepped beside her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"What is it?"

Sango looked from the dark trees to his concerned face. She shook her head and muttered,"Nothing."

That wasn't going to pass with him though. He pulled her back with the hand on her shoulder."No. What is it? Do you sense something?"

She sighed, realizing she wasn't getting out of her situation without explaining to him."Well, if you must know...I was just thinking-"

She motioned behind her at the destroyed land."InuYasha did this. Or _something else _did. Just imagine that he's probably around. He might even be demonized. Or, the something might still be here. I just don't want to go running in there because something might be waiting for us."

Miroku's hand disappeared from her shoulder and his staff was in fighting position."True. I hadn't thought of that."

* * *

"I'll be just a minute Kouga," Kagome said abruptly,"I need some time to think."

In truth, she didn't want to go in there and explain why she was there. True, no one would dare ask except Ginta and Hakkaku but that was still explaining to someone. She didn't want to have to relive the nightmare of InuYasha all over again. The look on his face as he prepared to kill her.

Kouga looked down to her,"Well, I'll think with you."

Kagome smiled,"I know you want to protect me after what just happened, but I swear I'll be fine out here. He wouldn't come to find me, not after what just happened."

"I know that but I still don't feel right leaving you here alone."

"Listen, I'll be out here for just a minute. If I need you, I'll call for you."

She searched his eyes, looking for any sign that he was cracking but his eyes were unreadable.

"Please." she pleaded.

She waited. And waited.

And finally-

"Okay." he swooped down, wrapped his arms around her upper back gently, and placed a kiss on her cheek. He kept his arms around her for a minute and Kagome couldn't deny the warm sensation she felt in her heart. This felt good. Someone who genuinely cared for her, who loved her, was there before her.

Kouga sighed as he pulled back. "I'll be _right_ inside the cave. If he, or anything for that matter, comes, call me and, like before, I'll be here in a second."

She nodded to show she understood. Kouga leaned her against a boulder so that she could stand.

He looked at her for a second longer and turned on his fur-covered foot. He was gone before she could blink twice.

Kagome sighed too, but it wasn't because she was defeated or giving up; it was because she was still shaken. To hear Kouga confirm her worst nightmare of InuYasha willingly going demon changed her outlook on the situation. Before, she thought,_Okay, it was an accident. He would never do such a dangerous thing! _But now....now she realized he hadn't cared. He was determined to accomplish one thing: To kill Kouga.

Scary thing is that he might have. Had she never came and listened to Kaede, she wasn't sure that he would have lived. Kouga's strong, yes, but InuYasha had nothing holding him back. No thought of what Kagome would think; no compassion; nothing. Kouga might pick fights with InuYasha but he had never really tried to _kill_ him before.

A shiver ran throughout Kagome.

A breeze ran its fingers through her hair, throwing it gracefully behind her shoulders and making it dance. Kagome closed her eyes and slightly raised her arms, combing her fingers through the breeze, feeling it swirl around her fingertips and continuing on with its journey.

The wind seemed to engulf her, protect her, to sing to her. Kagome managed to maneuver her way to the ground without touching the rock. The ache in her back flared up.

Whispers erupted around her. Ancestors from a hundred years ago sang,

_'E__rgo radius solis et umbra,'_

_ 'Ignis, aqua caelum, luna,'_

_ 'Terra, stella, hierns et aestas,'_

_ 'Autumnus et tempus vernum...'_

Although she couldn't speak ancient Japanese, she could understand they meant to comfort her and Kagome suddenly felt at peace. Every feeling of dread, hopelessness, and agony of realizing what really happened were gone. Oh, she remembered that they had happened, but she no longer cared. For the first time in a long time, she _smiled _and her heart felt lighter.

She kept her eyes closed for a long time, basking in the sunlight shining on her and the contentment within her. Her pain vanashed, along with her depressing feelings.

Kouga watched her, his eyes curious. By the look on her face, she was complacent. It made him smile, too. His fingers itched to touch her, to hold her and share her happiness.

_ 'Ergo,'  
'Terra, stella,'  
'Hiems et aestas,'_

The murmur in his ear made him flinch with surprise, but not with fear. He had heard them before. The time when all his comrades had been slaughtered, they sang him into calmer waters. They, and Kagome, were the reason he hadn't flown off the deep end, though he was tempted to do so.

He couldn't handle the thought of his lost brothers anymore. He took, or rather, tried, to take a step forward. His foot took the step, but the rest of him stopped as though it had met some sort of shield.

"Kagome!" he cried, struggling to reach her. He stopped his efforts as, to his amazement and horror, she began to rise in the air, still and continuing to smile. It was eerie, to be truthful, the way she looked as though she was still sitting on the ground, legs crossed under her, Indian-style.

To his trained eyes, he could see the shimmers of a faint pink light forming around her. It looked like her miko light she used in dire times to ward off demons or to purify them.

Not wanting to be purified if he was correct and she was to lose control over her powers, he started to moved to hide behind something. As he pulled back, he noticed nothing happened. He hadn't moved his foot, as he thought he had. He was paralyzed!

Suddenly, there was pink light everywhere. The smile on her face disappeared. Her body snapped straight and it seemed as though someone had grabbed her chest and yanked forward, the way her legs and arms flew behind her. She rose into the sky and she began to spin slowly. She stopped, facing him. She opened her eyes, now glowing pink and smiled to him. With one last burst of light, the light ceased and she began to fall. Without thinking, he ran to her and didn't stop to think of how he had gotten through the barrier. When he didn't feel like waiting on her to come to him on the gorund, he jumped into the air and caught her. Feeling her in his arms....what a feeling. The void in his heart was immediately filled with her cleansing soul.

Landing nimbly on the boulder, he searched her face, looking for changes or seeing if she was hurt. When he was satisifed, he gently laid her on the flat top of the rock and shook her.

"Kagome, baby," he whispered, leaning in and resting his forehead on hers. He felt her heart stutter and a small moan escaped her lips.

"Kou...ga...."

He snapped backwards,"I'm right here Kags, like I always am."

Her eyes fluttered and opened.

"Kouga...I'm so tired...."

He grinned, glad nothing too serious was wrong except a bout of the sleepiness.

"Well baby, I'll take you in so that you can rest." he murmured, stroking the side of her face.

"Please."

* * *

**Okay guys! Review and tell me what you think! **

**Sorry it isn't longer but I'm so tired and I wanted to get something up tonight. :)**

**Ohmygosh! I can't believe how well this is working out! This entire story is being made up as I go so for this to come out like it did, it's, well, nothing sort of a miracle!**

**P.S. I know the thing with InuYasha transforming so easily may not match up with the real stuff but I enjoyed writing it that way so...yeah.**


	4. Protect

**Disclaimer: I **_**do not **_**own InuYasha. If I did, Kags wouldn't be with InuYasha. :)**

**{A/N:} Hullo readers! Welcome to the 4th installment of 'Left For Dead'!**

**Special thanks to ****juusan'ya ****for her coolness and help! :)**

**Looking back at my other chapters, I kinda wanna kick myself for my poor writing...but anyways, I noticed that I went nearly two chapters without any word from Sango, Miroku, and Shippo! :/ I srry SMS! lol So to make up for that, I'll devote the beginning and so on of this chapter to them! :) **

**Also- I have NO idea where I'm going with this story. Maybe you guys can give me some ideas of what to do with Sesshy in the coming chapter, of what to do with Kouga & Kagome. I'm kinda blocked right now. I hope this chapter comes out right!**

**Delectable cookies to the best ideas! That, and the honour(or shame, whichever), of having your ideas used!**

**I wanted to thank all of my reviewers, you readers, and my puppy. :) Without her, I would be rather unbecoming and very ornery. :)**

****NEW** Just to answer a quick question: No, this isn't a Kouga and Kagome fic, it's a Sesshomaru*sigh* and a Kags fic.**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Protect**

I know, I've stood so long beside you  
And I know, I should've left you right where I had found you  
I know, I've stood so long beside you  
And I know, I should've left you right where I had found you

-The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

* * *

"I hadn't thought of that."

The small group walked slowly, unnerved by the silence of the woods around trees with branches twisted out of proportion loomed over them menacingly. The forest had an eerie silence about it. Where were the birds chirping? The wind through the trees, causing them to creak and sway, making the leaves dance and sing? Sango would even welcome some snap of a twig or _something. _The silence was almost overbearing. Well, come to think of it, there wasn't complete silence. Dry leaves cracked and crumbled as they stepped on them. Twigs _did_ snap, but it wasn't from a different company. The silent group looked around them for any color other than black, leaf green, and brown but their hopes were in vain.

Sango knew who they were looking for. So did Miroku. but they both fiercely hoped that they would find a demon instead of InuYasha. Some vicious animal that they would be able to kill without a second thought. Their hopes were pointless, as they had seen the power of his sword and the furrows were his, not anything else's.

"Where is he-" Shippo whispered impatiently but stopped as Sango let out a gasp.

"Oh my-" she whispered, pointing through the brush at a tree. Lying at the base was a silver haired man wearing a red kimono...His head was bowed and no movement signaled to Sango that he was unconscious.

"InuYasha!" Shippo said with horror, looking to Miroku."Where's Kagome? I thought she was with him!"

Well. Some much for concern for his, although not very friendly, friend.

"We'll find out soon enough Shippo," Miroku said grimly, walking towards InuYasha fearlessly through the brush. Sango, Shippo, and Kirara followed less enthusiastically, staying back.

What he didn't allow the others to see were the preparations he made. He gripped his staff tighter and pulled out a spiritual ward, prepared to stop InuYasha if he had to.

Using the end of his staff, Miroku none too gently poked InuYasha's chest. Miroku waited a few seconds before rapping the hanyou head and saying,

"Hey, InuYasha!"

The moan that escaped InuYasha's lips made all of them jump in surprise.

"Wha-"he groaned, his head raising slowly up. His eyes were half opened and his looked terribly exhausted.

"InuYasha?" Sango nervously peaked her head over Miroku's weakened InuYasha turned instantly back into the old InuYasha with his usual snarky _(A/N: Great word! Thanks to Dane Cook for giving it to me!)_ attitude at the sound of her pitying voice.

"What?" he snapped. InuYasha made a quick movement to stand but they were instantly quelled as the extent of his wounds caught up with him. He placed a steadying hand against the large oak tree he had been thrown against and the other hand grabbed his stomach.

"What happened to me?" he almost whispered, his uncalled for anger disappearing immediately and his eyes searching theirs desperately for answers. Sango shook her head and Miroku answered,

"Uh, well, we have no idea InuYasha," the monk shrugged."Where's Kagome?" he repeated Shippo's earlier question. The hanyou's eyes widened.

"Kagome." he whispered, stunned."I-" he faltered for he had started to move his hair out of his eyes but stopped as he realized his hand and partially up his arm were coated in blood. Forgetting that he was hurt and needed support, he brought the other arm up to examine it too. After the initial shock of blood wore off, he cried out in horror and threw them away from him, as if doing so would remove them permanently from his body. He lost his balance as he stumbled away and landed painfully on the not-so-soft ground. He stiffened.

"Ugh," InuYasha groaned, eyes shut tight in pain.

"InuYasha," Sango said urgently, kneeling down beside him and placing a pleading hand on his shoulder."I-I know you're hurt but you have to tell us _where Kagome is._"

"Uh..."InuYasha slowly opened his eyes and looked vaguely at the canopy above him."She was at Kaede's hut when I left with Kouga to kick his pathetic little wolf self. That's the last time I saw her."

Sango sighed in relief as she stood. So she _hadn't_been here when this mess started. At least InuYasha and Kouga had had enough sense to keep her away...

"Do you remember how you got this way?" Miroku's voice interrupted her thoughts. Realizing she had been staring off into the woods, Sango mentally shook her head and focused her gaze on the fallen hanyou.

InuYasha shook his head,"I barely remember anything after Kouga and I reached the clearing. Uh..." he thought a minute. Suddenly his face dropped,"I-I know why I'm like this."

Before he divulged his knowledge on his state, he held a hand out to Miroku for the monk to help him up. Miroku grasped his forearm and pulled InuYasha up. Sango silently side stepped the men and disappeared into the trees, only to reappear seconds later with a thick limb to be used as a walking stick for the injured half demon.

Thanking her with a simple nod of his head, InuYasha looked desperately at them as he took it and leaned against it.

"Please don't get mad at me, guys."

"Just get on with it InuYasha!" Shippo snapped,"We gotta find Kagome!"

InuYasha did an odd thing- he _nodded._ He didn't snap back, he just _nodded._

"Well when we got to the clearing, I was so consumed with hate. All I wanted to do was to kill him. I was so _tired_of his talk, of him always coming in and ruining me and Kagome's moments! I- I just wanted to shut him up so....so I....I threw away my sword..."he hung his head in shame.

"So you intentionally endangered Kouga?" Sango's voice shook with suppressed rage as she stepped forward from her spot beside Miroku. She continued until she was nearly offensively close to the hanyou and snarled,"Also, while you were stewing in your anger, planning out your revenge, did you ever stop to notice who else you were going to kill? You intentionally endangered Kagome, you imbecile!"

"No I did not Sango!" InuYasha spat back, his remorse having disappeared.

"Yes, I'm afraid you did InuYasha," Miroku interrupted calmly. His head cocked curiously to the side."InuYasha, were you actually _foolish_enough to assume that Kagome would not follow you? Did you _actually_think that she would be able to stand idly by whilst you two battled it out?" Miroku sighed," For such an intelligent person, you can be incredibly _retarded_ sometimes."

* * *

Kouga snarled at his comrade, his nose wrinkling up and his teeth baring to the lesser wolf demon. "_How dare you question me!"_Kouga was half-crouched, ready to spring at the man and tear him into shreds.

How unblessed with intelligence, this man was. How _dare_he question Kouga's motives.

"Kouga, I-" the man started, raising his hands in defeat and backing away.

"No!" Kouga spat, getting in the demon's face."Don't speak!"

The man's face crumpled as his last hopes of explaining or apologizing were deflated. The demon could see his future crumbling down, as Kouga would surely kill him.

"I thought you were taught better mannerisms." Kouga snapped, his eyes calculating the man ruthlessly."Is it your place to question me even if I bring a hundred women here?"

The man shook his head mutely, terrified to say anything.

Upon looking at the man's face and seeing the fear, his anger melted somewhat. How could he stay so angry at his young brother for his curiosity? Though he _did_need to learn that he was not to question someone of his authority, he would learn it that day, therefore, never doing it again."I'm sorry, Harou. I've had a long day, to say the least."

He turned and disappeared into his room, where she was sleeping.

A long day.

Ha.

It had been more than just 'a long day'. To describe it accurately might have been using the words nerve-racking, or adrenaline filled, or terrifying. A day filled with complete and utter _hell._

****Flashback****

_Kouga paced outside of the den, looking occasionally at the semi-dark land before him. He was glad it dawn. At this hour, everyone was sleeping so he didn't have to put up with their questioning glances. Just when he decided to go after him himself, the demon in question appeared at the edge of the forest._

_"K-Kouga...." Ginta wheezed, falling to his knees._

_"Ginta!" Kouga jumped from the mountainside and landed gracefully on the ground next to it. As soon as his feet touched ground, though, Kouga was immediately beside his fallen comrade, scooping him up. He hastily checked his friend for injuries and found none._

_What did they do to him?_

_"D-don't carry....me," Ginta panted, tiredly pushing Kouga away._

_"Why?" asked Kouga, bewildered._

_"'Cause it looks so gay!" Ginta wheezed._

_Kouga allowed an unamused chuckle to come out before doing as Ginta asked. Stepping back, he knelt beside the heavily breathing wolf demon and questioned urgently,_

_"Well? How is she?"_

_It took a minute before Ginta was able to collect himself. He shook his head,"Not good Kouga."_

_Kouga was taken aback, but it was replaced with concern,"'Not good'?" he repeated,"What do you mean? What's wrong with her?"_

_Ginta stood."I shouldn't be the one to tell you, Kouga. You should go check her out yourself. I'm- I'm just warning you beforehand that-"he faltered at the stare that Kouga was giving him._

_"Ginta." Kouga snarled, struggling to stay still and not find Kagome,"What is wrong with her?"_

_Ginta hung his head sadly,"She's been attacked." he whispered,"And she's torn up horribly."_

_"What?" Kouga shouted, rising."What happened?"_

_Ginta's eyes filled up with tears,"InuYasha."_

_And with that uttered word, Kouga's ears went deaf, his vision began to cloud over before he felt something grab him. Looking down through his blurry eyes, he saw Ginta attached to his leg, unshakable._

_His hearing turned back on slightly as he heard himself say,"Let go."_

_Ginta shook his head furiously and clung tighter to Kouga's leg,"No Kouga! You'll kill him!"_

_"That's the point, you moron, so let go of my leg. I have a mutt to kill." Kouga shook his leg impatiently._

_Ginta shook his head again,"Don't! You'll hurt Kagome more!"_

_Kouga stopped his efforts to shake the demon off of his leg and snapped,"What do you mean? _I_ would _never_ hurt her! _I love her_!"_

****End Flashback****

After that, Ginta had managed to calm him down, but he couldn't stop Kouga from leaving to see his beloved.

Now, she slept soundlessly on his bed in his room...or rather, his section of the massive home his clan shared.

Kouga sighed and ran his hand through his raven hair as he watched Kagome sleep. It soon became his favorite past time after a few hours of waiting for her to wake up. Still watching her, he walked forward and sat on the edge of his bed.

"She looks so beautiful when she sleeps, huh?" a gentle voice murmured behind him. Jumping and cursing, Kouga turned his head to see Hakkaku leaning against the entrance to his 'room', smiling slightly.

"Yeah." Kouga muttered, returning his gaze back to Kagome. "What do you want?" he threw over his shoulder.

"Nothing. I just wanted to see how my sis was doing, since you asked so nicely."

Turning his gaze back to the wolf, he said,"Watch out for the hanyou. He might come for her and if I didn't think she might wake up some time soon, I would go watch myself. I don't want her to wake up without me here."

Nodding, Hakkaku left.

* * *

**I enjoyed allowing Sango to call InuYasha an imbecile...well, he can be one! Leaving Kags and all and then, he has the **_**nerve**_**to be completely bewildered when she didn't come back! Gah!**

**You might be wondering where Sesshomaru is. Well, I know some of you, or one of you..., are cause I got a review asking. I'm just letting everything get settled down before I bring in the Ice King. He'll be in the next chapter. I'm kinda drawing these things out, mainly to keep you here. ;)**

**Either review or I might set an ultimatum, and I don't really wanna do dat. :)**


	5. Things Left Undone

_**Disclaimer: I do not, for the umteenth time, own InuYasha, nor any of the trademark characters. The plot and characters I have added are mine.**_

**[Authors Note:] Hey guys. It's been a long time. Between graduating high school and starting college, I've been so stressed/busy I haven't had time for much. I don't think I've had any time for myself. Lol. As my readers, you have the right to know what will be influencing much of my writings, my attitude, my everything. February, the man I had been with for exactly two proposed at my favorite Italian restuarant. . :) So yes, I'm a Freshman in college engaged to be married. But hey, life is short and fleeting. I'm happy where I am, therefore, I'm stickin like this. The catch is, he's a soldier in the military. He looks so good in uniform..*sigh*..but anyways, his unit is due to deploy in the next year or two, so I'll be somewhat stressed about that. Somewhat? What am I saying? I'm worried, stressed I'll lose him, everything. My reader, if you know someone in the military or are in it yourself, you can understand my anxieties. Anyhoo, I'm going to try my hardest to stick with this. I finally got my own laptop, so I won't have to worry about losing any of my work. One more thing before thanks are in order: I was rereading my chapters to get myself caught up on where I was. Do you have any idea how close I was to pairing Kagome up with Kouga? Sooo close. I may still swing that way. I really want her to end up with Sesshoumaru but we'll let my fingers and imagination take this story where it needs to go. And warning: my characters may be OOC, but it's my story!**

**To those of you who have stuck by me and waited for my next chapter, I'm sorry I took so long and I thank you for keeping with me. I've never had dedicated followers and it means more than I think I could ever express.**

**To the newbies, I hope you enjoy my story. Positive criticism is always welcome! I make mistakes, maybe not as much as the next person ;) but I do mess up. **

**ENJOY!**

Stay with me, don't let me go,

Cause I can't be without you,

Stay with me, and hold me close

Cause I built my world around you

And I don't wanna know what it's like without you

So stay with me, just stay with me

Chapter 5: Things Left Undone

Winds from the great sea danced ontop of the waves, rushing over them and over the cliff overlooking it. Kagome sat overlooking the waves, listening as they crashed upon the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliff.

_So peaceful,_ she thought, watching the waves dance and the sun dip below the horizon.

It would be night soon, but she had no intention of moving from this spot. How long had she been here? She didn't know, but long enough for her legs to lose feeling. Kagome hadn't had this much peace in a long time. Back at the den, something was always going on. The only quiet time was when she begged Kouga for some peace and he threatened the clan with dismemberment. It had been like that for weeks. Kagome had been with the clan for quite some time.

_Kouga._

His name sent a smile to her face. Where would she be without him? Dead, more than likely, but he gave her something to look forward to. His undying devotion was sweet. Could she ever return to InuYasha when she knew something so much better was waiting for her so close.

"I could never go back to InuYasha," she whispered, clenching her fingers and staring out further, possibly looking for something passed the horizon.

_Kouga would protect me. He _loves_ me. Something I don't know InuYasha ever achieved with me. He would never endanger me, not intentionally. He would never abandon me for the past._

Unaware, a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Safe, yes, but would she ever be happy? You see, there are many types of love. Those that burn bright and intensely and last a lifetime. Ones that, no matter the time or distance, can never be extinguished. On the other hand,there are those that are just as intense, but on a different scale. These you give to your friends, those that you care just as deeply for as you do your spouse, just not in the same exact way. Which slot did Kouga fit in? A debt was owed to him, one that would never be repaid unless she saved his life. He nursed her back to health, somewhat physically, but mainly emotionally.

Before her near death experience, things between her and InuYasha were not good. Oh, they had their times, but mainly, InuYasha disappeared for long lengths of time. Kikyo was around, he could sense her, and he went to her. It was an addiction he couldn't rid himself of. In his own way, he loved her. Kagome doubted he wanted to get out.

With love, the types of love that burn bright and forever can be unrequited. These horribly tragic. You give them everything: your soul, your time, your heart. your mind, _everything_. They either don't realize it and move on, or they do and don't feel the same for you. It is the most crushing of all blows dealt.

More tragic: when they use it to their advantage.

When they lead you to believe you actually mean something and you believe them, you may not realize it, but you're trapped in a dance they've danced many times. So many times, in fact, that they could do it in their sleep. They keep you so close to the edge, every now and again pushing your feet off so your hanging by only a thread, that you become dependant to them. They pull you up just before you fall and the cycle starts all over again.

If you've never been in this situation before, you don't understand how hard it is to let go. It's like stopping your heart, like stopping breathing. How do you do it? Simply saying, 'Just walk away,' is easier said than done. If this ever happens to you, and hope with everything you have you avoid this before it does, you will understand why the battered women go back to their abusive husbands, why women who seem so smart or too good for someone goes back into the very thing that nearly destroys them the first time around. Or the second time around. Or third. Some never make it out to try again.

If you ever pull yourself from this hell, you are one of the lucky ones.

"Do I love Kouga?" she whispered so quietly it nearly sounded like a part of the wind.

Did she? Was it the kind of fiery loves that last a lifetime? Or was it the love that people share with friends? She owed a debt to him. He brought her back to reality at a time where nothing made sense and life was spinning constantly.

But InuYasha needed saving too. He was trapped in a game of merry-go-round. Did Kikyo love him? Probably not. He was her tool, something she could use to achieve her goals. Kagome needed to save him. If she didn't, he would be torn apart.

Could she make it through it though or would she be torn apart trying to prevent his undoing?

Many miles away, Sesshoumaru sat pondering, just as Kagome was.

His castle, so magnificent, had become a place of endless roamings. Since his meeting with the miko, the Lord had done nothing but fight the memories of her. Seeing her terror, feeling it, sent shivers of protection surging through him.

Did he want to protect her? Hell no. She was his half-brother's toy. Let him rescue her. Well, when he's not trying to kill her he can rescue her.

When had all this protectiveness and claiming come from? A fortnight ago, he could have cared less what happened to her. Let her die. Maybe his brother would follow her. When she first defied him, though, not too recently, she stuck out. Most women tended to bow to his wishes. Well, everyone did. It was...irritatingly refreshing to find someone to speak at him like they were his equal and not his insubordinate. Even if they weren't.

_'Instincts are your most powerful weapon, son,' _his father had once said, _'Trust them and they'll never give you reason not to trust them.'_

What did his father know? He was dead.

Kagome stood up, long after the sun had set and left her with a chill.

Kouga had promised to be back the next day after he and his comrades returned from defending their borders from demons.

Just as a measure of precaution, she unsheathed an arrow and strung it in her bow. She gripped low and walked back to the den.

She didn't know how much longer she could stay there. Kouga made his feelings for her clear before he left with a declaration of love followed by, "You should seriously become my woman, Kagome. Well, more than you already are."

Sweet as that was, she knew he was serious and before she let him continue on, she had to do something. Either choose to settle down and be safe and as happy as she could be in that situation, or leave and go who knows where. But she would go with a clear conscience. Obviously, settling was easier than leaving though.

Her situation was this: one on hand, you had InuYasha. Someone she had been with for so long. Someone she had loved and not been loved back by for so long, it never changed, although the pain never ceased to be present. He could, figuratively, leave for months upon months and when he returned, it felt like he never left. Possibly, he would be part of her forever.

On the other hand, you had Kouga. Sweet and loving, he never failed to brighten up her day at least a little bit. He could always care for her. He would never let her down, never leave her hanging. But isn't it always the one you can't have that you want? She wanted InuYasha, do doubt about that, but he was no good for her. He would always have someone else on his mind. He would do nothing but bring her down, tear her apart, and leave her to bleed like he did the last time she depended on him.

But when did you have to have someone? Couldn't she be happy alone?

The wind hadn't settled down since dusk and it helped set a scary setting. Trees rustled and swayed. Leaves scattered to the ground. Twigs were occasionally thrown from their trees. Tonight was definately not a night to be out and about. A storm was brewing out at sea, probably close to coming in, and it felt like a mean one. Another blast of cold air and the sweet smell of rain drafted through the air.

Before she could comprehend what needed to be done, the bottom fell out from the sky. Forgetting logic, she ran, following the path before her. A flash of lightening, a roar of thunder, and Kagome darted through the trees, dodging trees and trying to somehow escape the fury of Kami. One bright flash of lightening and everything around her became visible. Where was she?

After slipping in puddles, getting cut by thorns and brambles, and slipping on rocks, she finally found a cave carved out in the side of a mountain. What lived in there, she didn't know, but it would suffice and prevent her from catching pneumonia.

Running passed more slippery rocks, she finally managed to climb her way into the cave. Listening for any sounds of inhabitants, she slowly made her way slightly deeper. She wanted protection from the rain, but she had no intention of trying to explore and discover what may call this place home.

Kagome sat her bow beside her, ran her fingers through her hair to untangle it and settled back against a wall, hidden from view, and prepared for a sleepless night. She was terrified no doubt, but with her bow inches from her, it was a small comfort to know she could try to defend herself. She'd probably do well, depending on her opponent.

In the morning, she'd return to Kouga. They'd talk, and she'd either be leaving or staying.

Birds singing merrily awoke Kagome from her dreamless sleep. Opening her eyes, she silently surveyed her surroundings. When had she fallen asleep?

Kagome began to stand up when a pain ripped through her back and down her legs. _Damn!_ She was going to regret last night's sleep for a while. Carefully standing, she moved slowly to avoid moving her back wrong. Looking down, she realized she forgot her bow and had to squat, not moving her back, to retrieve it. After she had stood, she walked outside to survey the damage.

Last night's storm had been sudden and fierce. Branches were tossed around, although the storm hadn't been strom enough to tear down trees. Stepping on rocks slowly to avoid pain and falling, she made her way down to the line of trees. Looking around to see which way she needed to go, she saw no landmarks, nothing she remembered passing yesterday.

"Where am I?" she cried, panic starting to set in. Maybe if she walked the way she ran last night, she would find her way.

_'Kouga, where are you?'_ If she wasn't there when he returned, Kouga would come looking for her. The key was to get back to the cliff. If she still didn't recognize anything when she found the cliff, maybe he could catch up on her scent.

Hanging on to that hopeful little thought, Kagome made her way through the trees.

**[A/N] Hey people. I decided, since it's so late here, I'd upload this chapter for you. I've been really anxious to give you guys something to read and digest while I write another chapter. The point of this one was to give some light on Kagome's situation. I know there wasn't much dialoge but who cares? :)**

**Review! Tell me what you think!**


	6. Of Talking and Fighting

_**Disclaimer: Must I do this every time? I do not own InuYasha, yada yada yada. Only the plot and characters I design myself to fit my story are mine.**_

**[Authors Note] **Last chapter was something to keep you going, although I know I've been away for a year. I know the content in my last chapter was some deep stuff and I'm not sure what came over me. I just felt the need to make you _understand_ where Kagome is coming from. How can she possibly let go of Inuyasha, knowing what he means to her, even if she can come out unscathed in the process? Enjoy this new installment of** Left for Dead**!

**P.S. **The last chapter's song title was 'Stay with Me' by Danity Kane. It's a great song.

**P.P.S. **I've been watching the Inuyasha episodes to catch up with the facts of all the characters. As much as I hate to admit I was wrong, I've spelled so many names wrong just because I thought it was the right way. According to the episodes, my names now corrected are: **Koga (**formally spelled Kouga**) **and **Sesshomaru (**formally spelled Sesshoumaru**). **I apologize everyone!

**P.P.P.S. **ONE LAST THING! While I've been watching those episodes, I've also been reading fanfictions by other authors and I'm seriously considering pairing Kagome with Koga. They just seem to fit. I may keep her with Sesshy. It's gonna be hard untethering Koga from Kagome though. I DON'T KNOW. ;_;

**Baby this pain is worse than it ever was**

**I know that you can't hear me but I need you to save me tonight **

**Tonight your memory burns like a fire**

**With every morning grows higher and higher**

**I can't get over it **

**I just can't put out this love**

**I just sit in these flames and just pray that you'll come back**

**Close my eyes tightly, go on and hope that I'm dreaming**

**Come wake me up **

**Oh I'm dreaming, come wake me up.**

**-Rascal Flatts **

**Chapter 6: Of Talking and Fighting**

The morning brought no peace, nor had the night before. Things were as they always were; a tangled mess of confusion. Where was she? Kagome had been away for too long. She had always come back, always.

Inuyasha stared down into the well's depths, hoping to see his little raven-haired beauty at the bottom.

It was empty, just as it had been for many years now. Kagome hadn't gone home in a long time. What was waiting for her there? Family, sure, but nothing as important as what she had here. He let out a sigh of disappointment and slapped the top of the well with his hand.

"Inuyasha, she hasn't been in that well the last fifty times you looked, why would she be in it now?" an exasperated voice said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Because, Sango," he said through clenched teeth without turning around, "I'm trying to find her."

"Staying around here won't help," she murmured soothingly, "I know you miss her but-"

"Miss her? I'm scared as hell Sango!" Inuyasha spun around and his eyes, filled with so much sadness and masked with anger, desperately searched her face for answers. "I can't smell her anymore! I can't find her! I don't know what to do." His voice trailed down to a whisper.

"Have you thought of searching with Koga?" Sango suggested. "If she's there, you know she's safe."

His eyes lit up. "Of course! Stupid me, why didn't I think of that? I bet he kidnapped her and he's holding her against her will!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" a wide-eyed Sango interrupted him, putting her hands up. "You can't seriously think he'd do that, do you? If she's staying with him, it's because she wants to."

Inuyasha's brows furrowed. "And why in the hell would she want to stay with him and not me?"

Sango stared at him like she had never seen him before. "Inuyasha, why would she want to come back?" Inuyasha's mouth parted, as if he was about to stop her but she snapped, "Be quiet. It's time someone brought you back to reality. You've done nothing but hurt her. You go back and forth between her and Kikyo. Inuyasha, you _abandoned_ her! She needed you out on that battlefield to have her back like you always have but you weren't there! _She nearly died because of you._ And you know what? She's better off without you. Do you realize how many nights she's stayed awake, waiting for you, when you go out on your little escapades with your dead clay pot? She has no self-esteem, no confidence, nothing! She's waited for you to turn around and realize that, 'Hey! I have someone who truly loves me and will never hurt me standing right here!' "

"She loves me?" he whispered, his eyes widening. "How could I not have seen it?"

Sango's fist balled up and before she knew what she was doing, she threw it at the man who had hurt her best friend for so long with all the fury and force she could muster. Her fist made contact with the hanyou's face and he fell back against the well. Standing over him, her trembling voice became a scream.

"Yes, you idiot! She loves you! God, how could you have ignored it? I know how: Kikyo! While she's leading you around by your nose, you haven't stopped to notice she doesn't love you! She's using you! But Kagome, poor sweet Kagome, loves you. That love is pure! If you ever find her, I hope she kills you! Just like you nearly killed her! And I hope she's letting someone else love her! Someone who will never do what you did to her!"

With one final glare, she turned on her heel and stalked off.

Inuyasha stared after her.

_Kagome loves me?_

* * *

For the fifteenth time that day, she asked 'Where am I?' Kagome had been walking for hours. Tempted to call out, she stopped herself and realized the trees and birds may not be the only ones listening.

"Okay Kagome, let's figure this out," she muttered to herself. "Surely, after all you've survived you're not going to die because of starvation."

Coming to a halt, she surveyed her surroundings. This wood looked familiar. Yes, that branch lying across her path was there yesterday. But, of course, how many other thousands of branches are lying all over?

To hell with caution; "Koga!" she yelled, "Koga!"

No reply. The birds had stopped their chirping. The forest seemed to hold its breath.

Desperation was beginning to creep in. "Koga!" she screamed, "Koga! Help me!"

Her Practical-Sensible side suddenly snapped, _"Shut up, you fool. Do you want to alert every demon for miles that there's a buffet waiting on whatever gets here first? Think! Retrace your steps!"_

Last night, she ran blindly. Hopefully, she had gone straight, so maybe it wouldn't be hard to find her way back to the cliff. Dodging brambles here and there, she once again ran through the forest she believed she ran through the previous night. Nothing looked like it did yesterday. The deadened forest around her was deathly quiet, making her more nervous. Taking about twenty more steps, she noticed a slight change in the atmosphere, a difference in the wind. Kagome readied her bow and arrow.

"Miko," a voice rumbled behind her.

Squealing she spun as she brought her bow up and pulled the string and arrow back, preparing to fire.

The Lord of the Western Territory stood around ten feet away from her, perched on a fallen tree. A perfectly arched eyebrow arched upward at the sight of her bow and arrow, aimed straight at him. "Planning on using that?" he said coldly.

Glaring at him, she brought her bow down. "I might have. You scared me. What are you doing here?"

He smiled, ice shining in his eyes and pointed smile. "You are on my lands, miko. I should be asking the same of you."

"It's none of your-"she started defiantly. In a blink of an eye, Sesshomaru was standing on a tree and in the next blink, his clawed hand was wrapped around her throat, pushing her to a tree and leaving her feet dangling. Oxygen cut off, she dropped her bow and clutched at his hand.

"Miko," he snarled, "you would do well to learn your place. I am Lord of these lands and your attitude is starting to really anger this Sesshomaru. I will ask this one more time before I kill you and return your remains to my brother; why are you here?"

Kagome's eyes widened and her hands dug at Sesshomaru's hand. Just as she began to see stars, he let her go. She collapsed at the base, clutching her throat and wheezing. Looking up at Sesshomaru with hatred in her eyes, she said, "I'm lost."

This did not surprise Sesshomaru. "Where is my pathetic brother? Where is your wolf?"

Kagome shrugged indifferently, "As for Inuyasha, I don't know, nor do I care." Massaging her throat, she grabbed her bow and stood up. She began to walk away, back the way she came. Turning back to look one last time at Sesshomaru, she said, "Hopefully, he thinks I'm dead because I don't ever want to see him again. You saw how he was that day in the woods. He's uncontrollable… and I'm not going to stick around until he takes me down with him. As for Koga, I'm trying to find him." Staring at Sesshomaru for just a second more, she continued her hunt for more recognizable ground.

He watched her go, his eyes following her every step and a plan formulating in his mind. His domain was his roaming grounds. He knew it better than he knew himself. If there was anywhere to fight, it would be there and he was sure wherever the miko went, his half-brother would follow. It could be a good chance to kill him and finally rid himself of the nuisance. Then again, if the wolf followed her too, he could take the shards from his legs once he killed him.

So many possibilities.

Nimbly, he began to follow her, closing in the faster he sped over trees and bushes.

She would be his captive.

'_Fitting for a warlord,'_ he thought snidely to himself.

She had no idea of what she was about to become. Had she known, she may have run, although it wouldn't have done her any good. Just as he reached her, Kagome heard his light footfalls and turned, her eyes wide with alarm. Her mouth opened in a scream before it was covered with his clawed hand. Grabbing her none too lightly around the waist, he hauled her over his shoulder and began the trek back to his castle.

"What- Sesshomaru- what are you doing?!" she screamed, tiny fists pounding on his back.

She continued to scream obscenities at him until he allowed a low hanging branch to slap her on the back of her bare thighs, "Ow!", and effectively quieting her.

Every now and again, the Ice King enjoyed stretching his limbs and darting through the forest. Sesshoumaru continued his run, smiling slightly to himself as she muted for a while. His smile turned quickly into a scowl as she wiggled fiercely, trying to escape his grasp. He tightened his grip, his claws digging into her thighs, and finally, arrived on to his home's grounds.

Throwing her off his shoulder, she fell with a high-pitched cry in front of him. It was abruptly cut off when, as she was landing, her head hit a small boulder, effectively knocking her unconscious. Sesshomaru sighed, something foreign to him, and picked the miko back up and tossed her, once again, over his shoulder.

* * *

When Kagome awoke, her surroundings were dark and hazy. She had no idea of the time, where she was, nothing. What was she lying on? It was hard, not at all like her bed at home.

"Ugh…" she moaned, reaching up a hand to feel her head. She cringed when the knot on the back of her sent a surge of pain throughout her head. "Ow!" she screwed her eyes up and felt the tears well up in them.

"Miko, this Sesshomaru may be ruthless and he may have murdered thousands, but he still remembers his father's teachings of courtesy. He will not tie you to the wall of the dungeon to be tortured and die of starvation, like he is tempted to do, but he will not grant you the luxury of one of his rooms." The low voice of the warlord drifted over her.

With her vision beginning to clear up, Kagome realized she was in a dungeon. Not like dungeons featured on television, this particular dungeon was neither cold nor warm. It was a sort of desolate medium. It wasn't dripping with water and there wasn't mold all over the walls. There weren't rats crawling all around either.

It had a kind of desperation attached to it. It had the feeling of if you stayed there long enough it would be your undoing. You could go crazy there.

"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked, gingerly sitting up.

Sesshomaru looked at her a minute before answering, "Miko, you are the answer to my problems." Then he turned away and shut the door with a _CLANG._

Making a move to stand and fight the chains binding her, she winced as her head began to throb and she collapsed back into her sitting position.

This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Several days passed before Koga began the return to his cave, satisfied with his territory. Usually, Koga stayed gone slightly longer, whether it is to hunt or to just to catch up with his people, but this time was different because _she _was waiting for him. When he returned, he would formally ask her to become his mate. Koga smiled. She would say yes. She would see how much he loved her and how he could take care of her better than that half-breed ever could.

On the edge of his personal territory, on a sheer cliff overlooking the pristine yet dangerous waters of the ocean, he smelled her. Kagome's jasmine infused scent caused him to stop and smile. She had been on the edge of this cliff and watched the waters, just as he himself had often done in his troubled times when it seemed she would never come to him. Then the salt of her tears washed over him.

A troubled frown replaced his content smile. His mate, crying?

Koga followed her scent as it zigzagged through the forest, noticing how the sweet smell of rain marred her scent oh-so-slightly. Rain had come and she had run to take cover. He remembered the only storm strong enough to make her run; it lit up the sky most of the night and threw limbs around as if they were leaves. It must have found her sitting on the cliff. She should have seen it coming though. Weren't Ginta and Hakkaku supposed to be watching her? Never trust them to handle his precious cargo.

There weren't any shoe tracks to follow because the rain made sure to wash them all away. It was of no importance; as long as he could keep her scent he could find her.

From across the forest, Koga spotted a small sliver of green fabric, the same color as the teeny tiny skirt Kagome wore attached to a briar bush that was wrapped around the base of a tree. In the blink of an eye, he was to it, ripping the fabric and half of the vines up. Ignoring the pain in his hand, he shook the fabric loose from the briars and inhaling the smell from the green material. It was laced with her scent, the smell of rain, and her fear.

Koga cursed silently at his absence in her time of need and followed along further until he reached a cave. He easily traversed the small boulders leading up to the mouth of it and stepped inside the dark cave. Her smell led him to a corner where she seemed to sit. She could have hid here.

"Was she chased?" he wondered aloud. She had her bow and arrows though. He had managed to make her promise to never leave the safety of his den without them. Had she been chased into seeking sanctuary in a cave that housed who knows what?

He clutched the green piece of fabric in his hand and followed her along further. She was beginning to cross out of his territory, into a territory of a formidable foe: Inuyasha's half-brother Sesshomaru. Here, he would have a much harder time protecting her.

Suddenly, her scent clashed with that of the one he feared it would.

Kagome had met the Lord of the Western Territory.

The dog demon's scent began to fade as she began to move away. The Lord let her walk away, did he? Bemused, Koga followed until, at a certain point, the scents joined again. Sesshomaru hadn't let her walk away. He had either let her think he was letting her go and took her or he decided he wanted to take her and snatched her up.

"Wolf," a baritone voice coldly drawled.

"Sesshomaru," Koga returned, turning to face the speaker. In his tracking, Koga had failed to notice the demon lord approaching the intruder to his lands.

Skipping pretenses, Koga said, "What have you done with Kagome?"

A smirk formed on Sesshomaru's face, "The human wench? Why is it both you and my brother have formed some disgraceful feelings towards her? She is nothing but a human. A weak, frail, disgusting human."

Anger boiled in the pit of Koga's stomach. How dare he insult her! "You aristocratic asshole, she is mine. I will not have someone like you insult her."

The smirk on Sesshomaru's face grew. "Oh? Someone like me? And what do you plan to do about it?"

"I'll kill you if that's what it takes." Koga snarled, tensing up for a fight.

Sesshomaru cocked a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Kill me, shall you? Before you do that, you should see your wench one last time. You can kiss her filthy lips goodbye before I kill you both." He snapped his clawed fingers and in a flash, Kagome was before Koga, blood smearing her face.

Koga caught her before she fell to the ground. She groaned at being moved and opened her eyes. When she saw him, her cracked lips formed a smile. "Koga… You came."

* * *

**Ellos everyone! I hope you enjoyed this latest installment of 'Left for Dead'. I would have gone a lot further but I needed to have a fight or escape or whatever in another chapter. ;) keep you sticking around! Reviews are most definitely welcome! POSITIVE CRITICISM is always welcome, but be nice people or I shall be forced to sick my ninja on you. :)**


End file.
